To think this is an inappropriate gift for a newborn baby girl?

[lbsjob87]

I am fully prepared to be told IABU and maybe I am, but I was in Argos yesterday (that's not the unreasonable bit).
I was looking for a present for a 2-year-old girl and stumbled across this:
www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9248612.htm?cmpid=APPSOCIAL01
It says "suitable from birth". I kind of get the concept but is it just me that thinks it's inappropriate and stereotypical, and the wrong impression to give a little girl? Almost that it's all about the accessories and no baby is too young to be indoctrinated into the world of pink and fluffy.
I can't even put my finger on why it annoyed me so much, maybe it's the pinkness, but I am just uncomfortable with it.
Is there any logical reason why I should feel like this?

[piercedinkedscarred]

I think the fact there is a teddy bear alongside a mobile phone, car keys and a vanity mirror says it all really.

YANBU OP, it's ghastly!

[newsecretidentity]

I can't get too worked up about it. Although it's technically suitable from birth, it looks like something you might give to a one year old who wants to copy mum. It would probably be more engaging with more colours, but some people just don't think any further than girl=pink.

[Amilionmilesaway]

I'd have loved that as a little girl (maybe about age 5). I don't think it's too bad but I get where you're coming from as I hate anything with "princess" on it.

I turned out ok though OP - I'm main earner in household, husband pulls his weight at home and I wear flat shoes

[mrsmalcolmreynolds]

Suitable from birth just means it doesn't have bit for a little baby to choke on, not that it's somehow a great idea to give it to a newborn.

I do get your annoyance at pink and fluffy but I think YABU to focus it on the availability of this stuff for tiny babies - a newborn can't be indocrinated - they can't even see that clearly! I save my ire for the tat aimed at 2 and 3 year olds who can be brainwashed, and for chuffing lego with their gendered stuff all over the place.

[PickledSprout]

Yanbu.

[BerylStreep]

I can imagine a 3 year old liking it. I think the 'suitable from birth' is not necessarily the age appropriateness, but the lack of small bits that would be choking hazards.

It is quite pink though. I wouldn't have bought it for my DD when she was young.

[ICanSeeTheSun]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chastity_belt

That would be inappropriate to buy a NB girl.

That is a toy, it's can be bought for both a boy and a girl.

[MrsBungle]

This is exactly what my friend bought for dd when she was born. I did think it was a slightly strange present although obviously I was grateful for her thought!

[Thurlow]

Hmm. I'm on the fence. My 2.5yo would love it. But the pinkness wouldn't really be part of the attraction - just a bag and keys and a toy phone.

But I am with you on the everything pink bollocks. We had the Book People in at work recently, there were bloody Princess stamping and sticker kits and god knows what else. I hate it.

[Canshopwillshop]

The age range is just a safety thing not a suggestion that you should buy it for a newborn. My DD would have loved it as a toddler.

[ICanSeeTheSun]

Boys can be into princess things as well.

I think adults put more thought into gender stereotyping than children do.

In preschool settings there is mixed toys and the children pick what ever toy they want

[LettertoHerms]

A newborn wouldn't get much enjoyment out of it, but it's "suitable from birth" as there's nothing to choke on and it's all soft.

An older baby, boy or girl, would get a lot of enjoyment from pulling things out and putting them in. (Over and over again...) And useful for a toddler that won't leave your handbag alone, since they can have their own.

I see no reason to get worked up about it. The color scheme isn't very attractive from a design standpoint, but pink is not an evil color.

[lbsjob87]

Don't even get me STARTED on bloody Lego Friends mrsmalcomreynolds.
A) Why are they all hobby and princess based?
B) Why do they have stupid skinny legs and feet that don't clip on properly, and random pieces that don't clip to anything and get lost within 4 seconds? The "boy's" sets don't? Is it because little girls can't be trusted to build things properly?
C) Why are they so restrictive and specific when the whole point of Lego is that it allows you to be creative? My DD prefers her dad's old stuff, tbh.

Also, pink NERF guns called things like Pink Crush Mini Crossbow and Rebelle? Seriously, WTAF??

[RiverTam]

it just looks like a really crap present, tbh. FIL got DD something similar for her 4th birthday, she played with it briefly but it was pretty pointless.

[KoalaDownUnder]

YANBU.

That is a pathetic toy on so many levels. And I hate that parents are encouraging the 'princess' fantasy in 2014. Back in the day, we had the odd book but we weren't surrounded by mountains of fluffy pink shite.

[LastTango]

Go on - buck the trend..............and buy it for a boy

[maddening]

Ds loves playing with toy keys and has an old mobile and a bag and his own purse that I wasn't using - kiss love this sort of role play stuff.

[PassTheCakeitsbeenatough1]

Stereotypes exist : pink and blue toys are the thick end of a very thick wedge. Lots of little girls would love this as a present, it might be a present that makes your toes curl but honestly, sometimes you just have to relax about these things a bit. If my little girl had this as a toy it wouldn't bother me, it's how you help them interpret the message of 'girlyness' that makes the difference not the toys they play with.

[crazykat]

My dd1 had something similar at about 2yo and loved it, she loves anything pink/sparkly/princess, she also loves football and plays at any opportunity. I just can't get worked up about girls, or boys for that matter, playing with pink sparkly toys.

[maddening]

I don't like the Dora bag though - she's meant to be an explorer but the bag comes with phone and purse etc

[Doingakatereddy]

I'm going to confess my 1 yo DD will love this! Been looking for a handbag for her but they've all got straps & she's a bit of a lunatic base jumper climber.

Maybe it's not suitable for a newborn but there's a huge imaginative world for kids 1 year plus

[Aibuaddict]

Ridiculous. My newborn never offers to pay for anything and I suspect doesn't carry any cash. Neither has she learned to drive and based on her stinginess, I'm not giving her keys to my house. Can't speak yet, so the phone is useless and in terms of preoccupation with her appearance, I suspect she wouldn't even bother getting dressed or brush her hair if it wasn't for me so the compact is a bust too. Her grabbing and motor skills are a bit sketchy so that renders both the bear and the bag itself obsolete. Rubbish gift I say.

Yabu though, for objecting to the colour. There are much greater flaws in this product IMO.

[crazykat]

My dd2 is the stereotypical girl and loves anything pink sparkly princess. Its who she is. She's had just as much opportunity to play with trucks, cars, tools and soldiers as pink things but she prefers pink. So what its hardly going to scar her for life.

Dd1 loves pink princess things but also football, bikes and sport.

Ds1 hates anything pink or sparkly and loves soldiers, trucks, swords and Ben10.

They're kids with their own opinions, likes and dislikes. I've never conformed to pink for girls, blue for boys but if that's what my DCs ask for I'm not going to refuse just because it conforms to a stereotype.

[Talisawasnotsupposedtobethere]

@ 'Rebelle'! That is hilarious and also a bit depressing all at the same time!

[PinkHamster]

That's odd.What would a newborn even do with that anyway? I think it would be more suited to someone slightly older. I'm thinking when the toddler wants to copy mum.